Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo are proud to finally deliver a happy pod on the latest episode of The Mets Pod.
After a week of dramatic wins, which included a sweep of the Tigers, a Subway Series victory over the Yankees, and a 10-run 12th inning in Washington, Connor and Joe recap it all - including notes on Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Bo Bichette, Nick Morabito, Mark Vientos, and more, plus a pitch to the audience to come up with a different nickname for the Mets youth movement that is better than "Baby Mets."
The guys also go deep on the pitching, discussing Clay Holmes' injury, the call-up of Zach Thornton, and what Jonah Tong has been doing Down on the Farm.
The show wraps with a Mailbag featuring questions about the race back to a .500 record and what the lineup could look like once Francisco Lindor returns.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 14: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals at Great American Ball Park on May 14, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was not Kyle Schwarber who socked a backbreaking homer off the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night in Philadelphia. That honor went to Bryson Stott, who crushed Cincinnati’s dream of a come-from-behind victory with a 2-run shot off Graham Ashcraft in the Bottom of the 8th inning that turned a 4-3 Reds lead into a 5-4 Phillies victory.
Schwarber, though, will get more opportunities to keep sockin’ dingers on Tuesday against Reds pitching, with rising ace Chase Burns getting the start for Cincinnati in the second game of the series.
Burns enters play on Tuesday having been valued at 2.6 bWAR on the season already, a mark that’s fourth best in all of Major League Baseball and behind only Phillies star Cristopher Sanchez among players pitching in the senior circuit. Burns has been on a particularly brilliant role during the month of May, as he’s fired 19.0 IP across a trio of starts and yielded just a lone earned run in the process. He’s holding right-handed hitters to a ridiculous .124/.143/.169 (.311 OPS) so far this season, though lefties – like Schwarber! – own a much more robust .242/.348/.455 (.802) line against him with 5 of the 6 homers he’s yielded this year.
Lefty Jesus Luzardo will start for the Phillies, with first pitch set for 6:40 PM ET once again. With a southpaw on the mound, the Reds have tinkered with their lineup once again, with right-handed outfielders Blake Dunn and Dane Myers in the lineup. Matt McLain remains in the leadoff spot for a second straight day, and Sal Stewart will get a defensive break as the team’s DH for the night.
In the late hours on the eve of the 2026 NHL trade deadline, the Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick.
The condition on the pick stated that if the Ducks missed the 2026 playoffs, they could elect to send Washington their 2027 first-round pick instead. The Ducks made the playoffs, so conditions were not met, and their 2026 pick now belongs to the Caps.
Carlson (36) was in the final year of his contract that carried an AAV of $8 million.
“I thought this was a time where I looked at giving this group another extra push, another little aid in helping us make this push to where we want to go,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said after the trade. “And so ultimately, if we get into the playoffs and we can have a nice run, I looked at it like this: it's worth it. It's worth it to give this group experience, give them a chance to make the playoffs, and to do well in the playoffs, with the hope that we'll be able to re-sign him when this season's over.”
Carlson was injured at the time of the trade, but wound up playing 16 games for the Ducks down the stretch of the regular season, where he was a fixture on both Ducks special teams units, averaged 24:11 TOI per game, and scored 14 points (3-11=14).
He played all 12 of the Ducks’ games in the playoffs, in the very same role as he did in the regular season, greatly factoring into the franchise’s first series win since their trip to the 2017 Western Conference Final. In those 12 games, playing primarily with partner Pavel Mintyukov, he averaged 24:03 TOI/G and scored six points (0-6=6).
Anaheim’s season came to an end on Thursday in Game 6 of their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Carlson played a total of 28 games with the Ducks (including regular season and playoffs), and he will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if he and the Ducks do not come to an agreement on an extension before then.
Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
“I certainly loved it here, and there’s a lot of moving parts, but I’ve loved my time,” Carlson said during his exit interview. “It’s a special place here for sure, with some extraordinary talent and a bright future. So, that is certainly attractive to anyone, not just myself.”
The Ducks will now send the 18th overall pick in the 2026 Draft and their third-round pick in 2027 to the Capitals. Now that the dust has settled and the landscape is clear, the question of worth comes back to the forefront.
The idea of adding a player of Carlson’s caliber and experience to the Ducks’ roster made perfect sense at the time of the trade. The critiques of the trade lie in the price of acquiring a player on an expiring contract and the fit of said player on the roster he was joining.
Carlson had been Washington’s #1 defenseman for over a decade prior to the trade, was a force on both sides of the puck, and ate minutes on the power play, penalty kill, and at 5v5.
As his career has progressed and he’s found his way into his mid-to-late thirties, Carlson’s mobility has predictably declined, as has his defensive impact, while he’s maintained a high percentage of his offensive prowess.
With dynamic, albeit unproven offensive talents littered throughout their blueline (Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov) and defensive pipeline (Tristan Luneau), adding another offensive-oriented defender raised eyebrows and questions of whether it was the right add for this Ducks lineup.
“The things that I’ve liked a lot about him is he's a very intelligent player, very good puck mover,” Verbeek said of what he adds to his defense corps. “I like how he joins the rush in a real cerebral way. His 5-on-5 numbers this year have been outstanding. So I think moving forward, whether it's a playoff run or a playoff push, 5-on-5 play becomes very important, and it'll be important for our group to make sure that we can keep pushing to make the playoffs.
“When I look at what he's done, I think that was probably the most important part of all. Now, we can distribute the ice time in a different manner. We can get better matchups.
There's a lot that went into acquiring him and allowing us to have different looks, different options for our coaching staff.”
Carlson produced well in the regular season, and his underlying numbers were positive in the playoffs. When he was on the ice at 5v5, the Ducks accounted for 53.36% of the shots on goal, 54.59% of the shot attempts, and 51.55% of the expected goals, despite being outscored 11-7.
He was a key factor on the Ducks’ spectacular power play in their opening series against the Oilers, where they converted on eight of 16 opportunities. He was an important piece on the breakout, executing key first passes out of the zone to spark rush opportunities for his teammates.
However, his impact and the positive aspects he brought to the Ducks were somewhat negated in the Ducks’ next series against the Golden Knights.
Vegas was able to thwart the Anaheim power play, which only converted four goals on 22 opportunities through six games. The Knights played a stingy brand of defense in their end, blocking endless perimeter shots and limiting Carlson’s ability to produce from a relatively stationary position at the point. Lastly, they were able to eliminate his breakout impact, cycle for extended periods of time in the Anaheim zone, and exploit the Ducks’ overall lack of inner slot defensive prowess, an area where Carlson doesn’t exactly thrive.
Hindsight will always be 20/20, and Carlson did inarguably improve the Ducks’ blueline down the stretch of the regular season and into their playoff run. However, one can’t help but wonder if other reportedly available defensemen at the trade deadline, such as Colton Parayko, MacKenzie Weegar, or Brandon Carlo, would have been better stylistic and long-term fits on the Ducks’ back end than Carlson.
Until July 1, the Ducks will have exclusive negotiating rights with their three veteran UFA right-shot defensemen: Carlson, Jacob Trouba, and Radko Gudas. This offseason will provide Verbeek a unique opportunity to address an area of need, both on the roster and on the ice, and decisions made could prove pivotal in determining how they can build off the success of the 2025-26 season and playoff run.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 20: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors greet each other at center court right before they battle each other for the tip-off of the game at Chase Center on October 20, 2023 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors’ season may be over, but Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs gave fans a moment that felt all too familiar to Dub Nation on Monday night.
Late in overtime during San Antonio’s 122-115 Game 1 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, Wembanyama pulled up from deep near the exact same spot where Steph Curry buried his iconic “double bang” three against OKC back in 2016.
Same spot, same splash 💦
Wemby really pulled up from the same spot that Steph did in 2016!
Their height may be different, but the result was the same… both in OKC, both in epic OT thrillers! pic.twitter.com/mpaZniwJ8I
The similarities were impossible to ignore. Same arena. Same opponent. Same fearless audacity to pull up from well beyond the three-point line with the game hanging in the balance.
Only this time, it was a 7-foot-4 basketball alien doing it.
Wembanyama finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds in the thrilling double-overtime victory, but his deep three quickly became the defining highlight of the night.
And much like Curry’s legendary performance against the Thunder nearly a decade ago, the shot felt like a statement to the rest of the NBA. If there were still any questions about whether Wembanyama had truly arrived, there shouldn’t be anymore.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, May 19th:
The Spurs have their young Steph. The NBA has its new Steph. Someone who captivates fans, motivates teammates, dominates opponents and whose unprecedented impact makes him the envy of every franchise in the league. Someone whose presence ensures generous national-television exposure, year after year.
And Wemby is polishing his star five years before Curry, who turned 27 a month before the 2015 postseason.
From a marketing and promotions viewpoint, Wemby is Steph 2.0 – a foot taller, possessing gifts that can dominate on offense and defense.
Steve Kerr’s decision to return to the Warriors is a fair indicator that Golden State doesn’t plan to rebuild in the near future, but this pick gives it a chance to get younger and deeper. Long-term injuries to Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody mean the Warriors will be extremely light on the perimeter to open next season, which could be a consideration here. GM Mike Dunleavy also told reporters this week that Golden State would consider moving around in the draft.
Burries is drawing looks inside the top 10 but could also end up being the guard who falls. He would be a solid fit for the Warriors in this scenario. His dimensions will play up better on the ball than at the two, but his sturdy build should also help him defend wings. The fact he’s a year older than some of the other freshmen and somewhat caught between positions based on tools makes him more of a back-half lottery option.
Source: Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, Jr., recently met with the Golden State Warriors; GSW currently holds the 2026 NBA Draft No. 11 pick (lottery 1st round) & would almost certainly need to trade up to select Acuff; I'm told his interview w/GSW was "abso-f***ing-lutely amazing!" pic.twitter.com/Ds5wavijlF
Caruso kept shooting and hitting, often enough that it warranted Wembanyama gradually inching closer to him on the perimeter. He tried to weaponize the 22-year-old’s own overzealous tendencies.
“He’s a good player defensively, so he’s trying to make all the plays, and rightfully so. He can make them,” Caruso said of Wembanyama. “So part of that is just being smart about how you attack him. You watch the first couple series that they played, and there’s times where they’re just trying to shoot layups over him, and that’s not how you should play against him, right?
“I’m not gonna give you our game plan, but there’s times to be aggressive, and there’s times to manipulate the defense and get better shots.”
BREAKING: The New Orleans Pelicans are hiring Jamahl Mosley as the franchise's new head coach on a five-year contract, sources tell ESPN. Mosley accepts the Pelicans job after five seasons in Orlando where he guided the Magic to three consecutive playoff berths. pic.twitter.com/MBjDpVG0ra
And somehow, that atmosphere was sitting right here in our own backyard Wednesday afternoon at the Boys & Girls Club Excelsior Clubhouse in San Francisco, where 2K Foundations (the philanthrophic arm of the legendary 2K video game franchise) unveiled a newly refurbished basketball court designed for the hundreds of kids who use the facility every week.
I was invited out to cover the unveiling, which featured appearances from Ronnie 2K, Golden State Warriors guard Will Richard, and GSW champion Festus Ezeli. But as cool as the event itself was, what stuck with me most happened before the ribbon cutting.
Follow@unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
SURPRISE, AZ - OCTOBER 24: Nick Morabito #3 of the Scottsdale Scorpions runs to first base during the game between the Scottsdale Scorpions and the Surprise Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on Friday, October 24, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Nick Morabito’s father and uncle both played baseball. His father Brian played at James Madison University in the late 80s and early 90s, and his uncle John played at Wake Forest University and then in the Chicago White Sox’ minor league system in the late 80s. With their genetics and coaching, Nick took to baseball, playing little league in and around Fairfax County in Virginia and Washington D.C., and then eventually attending Gonzaga College High School, a private Catholic college-prep school in D.C.
Initially, he was not on many radars, but by the end of his junior year, the outfielder had turned himself into a follow for scouts and evaluators. In 2022, he hit.545 for the Eagles with 10 doubles, 6 triples, 12 home runs, and 52 stolen bases, helping lead them to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and win the D.C. State Athletic Association title. Morabito won the Gatorade Player of the Year Award (Washington D.C.) and truly established himself as a bona fide high school prospect ahead of the 2022 MLB Draft.
With the 75th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, obtained as compensation for Noah Syndergaard signing with the Los Angeles Angels, the Mets selected Nick Morabito. He already had a commitment to Virginia Tech but decided to forgo it after the Mets offered him a $1 million signing bonus, roughly $125,000 over the MLB-recommended slot value of $873,300. The organization assigned the speedy outfielder to the FCL Mets for the remainder of the season and the 19-year-old went 1-22 in his first taste of professional ball.
His poor performance at the end of the 2022 season, coupled with less-than-enthusiastic reports over the winter led many to question why the team had gone overlot to sign him, but Morabito flipped the script when he returned to the field for the 2023 season and began the year hitting .324/.437/.432 in 30 games in the complex, with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run, 11 steals, and 20 walks to 22 strikeouts. He was promoted to Single-A St. Lucie in August and finished the season with them, hitting .286/.403/.378 in 27 games with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 10 stolen bases, and 14 walks to 27 strikeouts. All in all, the 20-year-old hit .306/.421/.407 in 57 games combined, with 9 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs, 21 stolen bases in 25 attempts, and drew 34 walks to 49 strikeouts, just missing the 2024 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Mets Prospects list, garnering one 26th place vote.
Morabito remained in St. Lucie to start the 2024 season, and what a start it was. The 21-year-old center fielder appeared in 24 games for the St. Lucie Mets and hit an impressive .397/.530/.513 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run, 11 stolen bases in 15 attempts, and 18 walks to 18 strikeouts, forcing a promotion to High-A Brooklyn in early May. He stayed in Coney Island for the rest of the season, and while he did slow down a bit, it was more a case of being unable to maintain such a torrid pace rather than looking overmatched. In 95 games, he hit .294/.373/.374 with 15 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs, 48 stolen bases in 59 attempts, and 42 walks to 80 strikeouts, setting the Cyclones single-season franchise record for hits (110) and stolen bases. On the season, he hit a combined .312/.403/.398, with 17 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, 59 stolen bases in 74 attempts, and drew 60 walks to 98 strikeouts. Leading the system in batting average, on-base percentage, and stolen bases, Morabito won Organizational Player of the Year 2024 honors and was ranked 19 on Amazin’ Avenue’s 2025 Top 25 Mets Prospect List.
Morabito began the 2025 season with Double-A Binghamton and remained there for the entire season. Appearing in 118 games, he hit .273/.348/.385 with 27 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs, 49 stolen bases in 60 attempts, and drew 47 walks to 115 strikeouts. After the season ended, the organization sent him to the Arizona Fall League, where he appeared in 17 games for the Scottsdale Scorpions and hit .362/.450/.464 in 69 at-bats with 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 16 stolen bases in 19 attempts, and drew 10 walks to 15 strikeouts. He was ranked 15 on Amazin’ Avenue’s 2026 Top 25 Mets Prospect List, and began the season assigned to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. He hit the ground running in his first taste of Triple-A baseball, hitting .300 in the month of April, but slowed down as May progressed. Prior to his promotion, the outfielder was hitting .253/.364/.390 in 41 games with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 14 stolen bases in 16 attempts, and drew 21 walks to 40 strikeouts.
The 5’10”, 180-pound Morabito is solid and thick, but quick-twitch speedy and athletic. Year after year, the Mets have tinkered with Morabito’s set-up at the plate. After changing it during the 2025 season to have him more square at the plate, and then closing him up during the Arizona Fall League, Morabito is now standing fairly open, with his hands at his eyes and his bat head angled almost perpendicular to the ground. The slight leg lift that he began using in the AFL remains, as opposed to the toe tap he used throughout the 2025 season in Binghamton, but even with the slight leg lift, his load and weight shift are still minimal and his mechanics at the plate have very little wasted movement.
He is quick and direct to the ball with a level, flat swing plane. Morabito is capable of hitting the ball hard- during his time with the Syracuse Mets, statcast radars tracked 18 batted ball events resulting in exit velocities over 100 MPH and 39 resulting in exit velocities over 95 MPH, roughly 33% of his registered batted ball events- but because of his swing path, he is hitting the ball on the ground more often than not. Morabito had a 23.6% line drive rate, 51.9% groundball rate, and 24.5% fly ball rate upon his promotion, which is in line with his career data; in 2025, he had a 24.1% line drive rate, 53.9% ground ball rate, and 21.9% fly ball rate, and in 2024, he had a combined 24.9% line drive rate, 55.0% ground ball rate, and 20.1% fly ball rate. Most concerningly, Morabito has been absolutely unable to elevate fastballs of any kind, averaging a 3-degree launch angle against them. Against breaking and off-speed pitches, Morabito has had a bit more success elevating them, but even still, he is averaging a 10-degree launch angle against all secondary pitches, still highly suboptimal.
On the whole, Morabito has struggled against fastballs, hitting .197/.340/.316 in the limited data of his month-plus in Syracuse this season. He had his most success against breaking balls, hitting .315/.383/.500 against them. Against fastballs, his swing typically seems be late, going back up the middle or to the opposite field, but against slower secondary pitches, he is pulling the ball more.
Allowing Morabito to succeed, such as he has, with his batting profile and spray chart, is his elite speed. The outfielder’s calling card are ground balls that are legged out for hits, keeping his minor league batting average and BABIP inflated. A true plus runner, Morabito has posted 90th percentile outcomes in various speed-quantifying metrics over the years, and leverages that speed into extra bases when the ball is put into play, leading the system in stolen bases (129) since being drafted in 2022.
A shortstop for the majority of his high school experience, Morabito began playing the outfield late and was drafted as an outfielder. Despite having experience, he has not played in the infield since turning pro save a handful of games where he manned second base in 2023. The majority of his playing time has come in center, where he has shown the ability to be an above-average fielder. Morabito is not graceful like many of the great center fielders, but he has above-average range and can cover a lot of ground. His arm is fringe-average for the outfield, but his glove work is sure. Over the years, Morabito has improved as a defender, learning on the fly. As long as he remains a plus runner, he will have the ability to play center, tracking down balls and correcting himself with “brute speed” when the technical aspects of the position allude him.
Jalen Brunson may be an undersized point guard, but the New York Knicks’ lefthander keys NY in nearly every matchup. How he fares in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers may determine the series.
These Jalen Brunson picks expect him to start the Eastern Conference Finals aggressively, the last round putting plenty of material on film for him to study.
Jalen Brunson prop pick for Game 1
Jalen Brunson best bet: Over 6.5 assists (+110 at bet365)
Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham look like completely different players. The New York Knicks’ point guard is listed at 6-foot-2, charitably, while Cunningham is an athletic 6-foot-6.
But both their offenses rotate around them. Brunson’s usage rate of 30.3% this season barely trailed Cunningham’s 30.5%. Brunson shoots and scores more while Cunningham moves the ball a bit more often, but the ball is in their hands one way or another at rates that near the top of the league.
Cunningham regularly got inside the Cleveland Cavaliers’ defense last round. That is the defensive cost of a starting backcourt of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Cunningham then frequently moved the ball. That is the defensive perk of a starting frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
Brunson should see similar assists opportunities in this series.
Jalen Brunson same-game parlay
Cunningham also chucked quite a bit against the Cavaliers. He averaged nine 3-point attempts per game in the final three games and seven attempts per game through the seven-game series.
Compared to his regular-season rate of 5.7 3-point attempts per game, those numbers stood out.
Now realize, Jalen Brunson attempted 7.1 threes per game this season and has hit 40.9% of his attempts in the playoffs.
This Cleveland defense should provide Brunson looks anywhere but the rim, and he will gladly take those.
He will stray from the rim on both ends of the court, though, given the Cavaliers’ quality post presences and, quite frankly, James Harden’s physical advantages on the glass compared to Brunson’s.
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The Minnesota Twins demoted former No. 1 draft pick Royce Lewis to the minor leagues, the team announced.
The Twins also designated right-handed pitcher Justin Topa for assignment and placed catcher Ryan Jeffers on the injured list with a left hamate bone fracture. Right-handed pitcher Travis Adams was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul, and the Twins selected the contracts of infielder Orlando Arcia and catcher Alex Jackson. Lewis heads to the minors after struggling following his return from a sprained left knee. Since returning from the injured list on April 21, the third baseman has struck out 25 times in 68 plate appearances while batting just .132 with one home run and five RBIs.
Before the injury, Lewis hit .222 with two doubles, two homers, eight RBIs and an .822 OPS in 12 games.
The Twins made a similar move in demoting right fielder Matt Wallner to Triple-A St. Paul.
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - MARCH 30: New head coach Will Wade of the LSU Tigers Men's Basketball team speaking at his press conference in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 30, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Mitchell Scaglione/LSU Athletics via Getty Images)
The proverbial lines that regulate college sports have never been more difficult to identify than they are at this present moment in time. Players that would have been declared ineligible without a second thought as recently as five years ago are now not just being allowed to suit up for collegiate athletic programs across the country, they’re being paid handsomely (in some cases extremely handsomely) to do so.
Even in this current climate, every now and then there comes a situation where the line crossing becomes akin to pornography: You might not be able to fully articulate exactly what lines have been breached, but you know it when you see it.
Enter, of course, Will Wade. The man who was openly talking about paying players before it was cool (or allowed) is back to pushing the envelope in Baton Rouge like Kendrick Lamar and Drake are lightly lobbing sneak disses at one another.
On Monday, Wade made headlines for signing 25-year-old Israeli point guard Yam Madar to a reported $5 million deal. Not only is Madar a EuroLeague vet at this point — his Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. squad just faced Real Madrid Baloncesto in a EuroLeague quarterfinal — but he was the 47th overall pick by Boston in the 2020 NBA Draft. For reference, that’s the same draft where Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and Tyrese Haliburton all had their names called.
Madar, who will turn 26-years-old in December, never signed with the Celtics, but the franchise still owns his draft rights. He was the EuroLeague’s “Rising Star” award recipient in 2023, and averaged 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 16 appearances for Hapoel Tel Aviv in league play last season.
If that piece of news wasn’t splashy enough, less than 24 hours later LSU announced that Wade had signed former St. John’s star R.J. Luis. The 2024-25 Big East Player of the Year, Luis opted last spring to spurn another year in college in favor of chasing his NBA dream. He went undrafted.
While there were rumors last summer that Wade was trying to convince Luis to sign with him at NC State, the 6’7 wing ultimately inked a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz. Two months later he was traded to the Boston Celtics. Though he was waived by Boston before the start of the 2025-26 season, Luis signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics’ G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.
In 2023, Bediako had left school early to play in the NBA, gone undrafted, ultimately signed a two-way contract with San Antonio, and competed in the G League as a professional over parts of three seasons. He then re-signed with Alabama and played five games for the Crimson Tide between January 24 and February 7 thanks to a temporary restraining order. On February 9, his temporary restraining order expired and he was denied a motion to play out the remainder of the season.
“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract),” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement last December in response to the Bediako situation.
Wade’s reasons for pushing the envelope here extend beyond his established status as a provocateur.
Since making the highly controversial jump from NC State back to LSU after just one season in Raleigh, Wade has had a more difficult time piecing together a roster than he likely anticipated. The Tigers are returning essentially zero production from last season’s 15-17 squad and have no incoming freshmen from the recruiting class of 2026. This would be fine if Wade was crushing it in the NCAA transfer portal. He hasn’t been.
Wade has inked just four players from the portal so far this spring — Divine Ugochukwu from Michigan State, Abdi Bashir from Kansas State, Mo Dioubate from Kentucky, and Austin Nunez from UTSA. That’s a four man class that has LSU currently ranked No. 40 in 247 Sports’ team portal rankings. At a time when most major conference programs are putting the finishing touches on their 2026-27 rosters, Wade and the Tigers are very much in scramble mode.
Earlier this month, Wade beat out Kentucky to sign 23-year-old Brazilian big man Marcio Santos of the Israeli league. In addition to signing Madar and Luis, there are reports that Wade has also been pursuing 22-year-old Saliou Niang, who is currently competing in the Italian Wing. With so few uncommitted impactful players in the portal remaining, it’s apparent at this time that Wade’s last ditch effort to produce a roster that can be competitive in the ultra-difficult SEC revolves around signing as many pros as possible and hoping at least a handful of them will be deemed eligible by the NCAA.
Given the precedent set by the Bediako situation, it seems extremely unlikely that the NCAA will clear Luis for a return to college basketball in 2026-27. Madar has more of a shot (somehow), but it still seems more likely than not that the NCAA will do everything in its power to keep the seasoned EuroLeague vet from spending the first four months of his 26th year playing college basketball.
For any other power conference college basketball coach, the actions taken by Wade this week would reek of desperation and a lack of any sort of respect for the last vestiges of the sanctity of college hoops. But for a man who has spent the better part of his kicking at lines like a leadoff batter on a dirt field and still managed to fall upwards more times than not, it’s almost hard to blame him for continuing to exist in the shadowy world he knows better than anyone.
NEW YORK — The Vegas Golden Knights’ appeal to have their punishment reduced for breaking media access rules was denied by the NHL and they will lose a second-round pick in the draft this year, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the league had not announced the result of the team’s appeal.
The league docked Vegas the second-rounder and fined coach John Tortorella $100,000 for what it called flagrant violations of media regulations. Tortorella refused to speak to reporters and the team did not open its locker room following its second-round-series-clinching Game 6 victory at Anaheim.
Announcing the sanctions, the NHL said the Golden Knights had been warned previously about not following media and other policies. They were offered the chance to appeal in person to Commissioner Gary Bettman, and that ultimately was unsuccessful in getting the pick back or the fine reduced or rescinded.
The loss of a second-round pick is the strictest punishment for breaking media access rules in league history. Vegas opens the Western Conference Final at the Colorado Avalanche.
Asked about the punishment, Tortorella told reporters in Las Vegas, “We put out a statement as an organization, and so we’ll go back that. We have no more comment on that.” That statement said only that the team was aware of the announcement and would have no further comment.
Tortorella took over as coach on an interim basis when Bruce Cassidy was fired on March 29. The Golden Knights went 7-0-1 in their final eight regular-season games, then beat the Utah Mammoth and the Ducks to make it to the West final for a fourth time in their nine-year existence.
Now 67, Tortorella coached the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2004. He has been fined $262,000 for various transgressions over his time in the NHL.
Turns out, George Kittle had a good reason for cheering on the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Monday night.
Shortly after the 49ers tight end — who’s been a passionate Golden State Warriors fan since arriving in San Francisco in 2017 — caught flak for wearing an OKC shirt during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, he made it clear to several trolls on X he’s not actually a bandwagon supporter.
George Kittle attended the Thunder vs. Spurs matchup in Oklahoma City on Monday night. NBAE via Getty Images
“I graduated high school from Norman Oklahoma !!” Kittle wrote to one.
“Graduated from Norman Oklahoma so you can chill bruh,” he added in a message to another.
Kittle was seen throughout NBC’s broadcast of the big playoff game going nuts for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and the rest of the Thunder as they took on the Spurs in an epic, double overtime matchup.
At one point during the game, the seven-time Pro Bowler’s antics actually caught the attention of play-by-play man Mike Tirico, who shared a tidbit about Kittle and Spurs star Victor Wembanyama while on-air.
George Kittle, a passionate Warriors fan, received criticism for cheering on OKC in its matchup with the Spurs. Instagram/@hannah.c.davisonGeorge Kittle’s been spotted cheering on the Warriors often since he arrived in San Francisco in 2017. NBAE via Getty Images
Only poetic that Mike Tirico bring up George Kittle and Wembanyama together.
After all, what would he know about being a positionless freak who plays both big and small and plays both ends of their game at an S tier level? pic.twitter.com/tzUrAetbIo
Unfortunately for Kittle, the home team ended up losing in a nail-biter to San Antonio, 122-115.
Game 2 is slated for Wednesday night, though it’s unclear if Kittle has plans to stick around in Oklahoma for the tilt — and the criticism that would no doubt come with another appearance.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a huge off-season ahead. It already began with them being given the 4th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks jumped up into first and second, pushing Chicago down two spots.
Now, what lies ahead is an important period of time in which the Blackhawks must use to improve their team ahead of the 2026-27 season. After an 11-point improvement in 2025-26, a strong off-season may allow them to get closer to being in the race.
There are plenty of moves that could be made to improve the team via trades, free agency, and the draft. Some moves would be more consequential than others.
In a perfect off-season, the Blackhawks would address at least four of their most important weaknesses. These five transactions would make it a perfect off-season:
Whether Ivar Stenberg or Caleb Malhotra falls to them, they choose a defenseman, or make a trade involving the pick, they must make the right decision.
The Blackhawks have already built up a strong young core. They have a lot of development left, but there is talent there. Adding another high-end prospect to the mix will only increase their chances of succeeding in the future.
Once they make the selection, assuming they make it, it will only become a strong pick with good development plans.
2. Sign Connor Bedard and make him the captain
Connor Bedard has lived up to being a first overall pick so far. His ability to generate offense for himself and his teammates has been noticeable from day one.
Whether it's Philipp Kurashev, Taylor Hall, Ryan Donato, Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan Greene, or Andre Burakovsky, Bedard has found a way to put up points in bunches with any linemate over his first three seasons. If they could find him a star to play with, he would take another step in production.
Before any of that happens, however, the Blackhawks must get Bedard extended. On July 1st, he will officially become a restricted free agent. The Blackhawks are likely to get him signed up to a long-term deal that includes an average annual value of over $10 million.
It will be a lucrative contract for Bedard, but he's worth every penny. At one point, he might be "underpaid" based on NHL standards.
After he is signed long-term to a massive contract, the Blackhawks are going to name him as the team's next captain. After Nick Foligno left the team via a trade, it became apparent that Bedard was next.
Bedard made it clear that being the next captain would mean a lot to him and would be a role that he embraces.
"It’d be an honor," Bedard said on being the captain. "It’d be extremely special. We have a lot of guys in this room who can lead and take on those kinds of roles. If I’m the one who is chosen for that, I’d be extremely grateful, and that’s not something anyone would take for granted. This is a special organization; it’s been around for 100 years now. You see the names that have gotten that honor, that would be amazing. But whatever fits the team best, and whatever Kyle and everyone is thinking on that. Whatever happens, happens with that."
3. Add a key veteran forward & defenseman
Whether it's a linemate for Connor Bedard or a middle-six forward, the Blackhawks need at least one veteran forward added to the mix. More scoring touch is going to help this team, but they need someone older who has a proven track record of consistency.
It may also come in the form of a middle-six forward if they believe that Connor Bedard will play with young players already in the organization. Regardless, another solid veteran forward is needed in one way or another.
This also applies to the defense without the Connor Bedard factor. After trading Connor Murphy and Matt Grzelcyk went down with an injury, Alex Vlasic became the oldest defenseman on the NHL roster.
It is time to look for another older player to bring a steady presence to the group. With Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, Wyatt Kaiser, and Louis Crevier as the big-minute guys on the team, they can use some support from someone who has played big minutes elsewhere.
The Blackhawks don't have to increase their average age by 5 or more years, but it would be helpful if they weren't the youngest team in the league again. Being like Montreal, the youngest team to make the playoffs, is where you want to be.
32 Thoughts Monday morning playoff preview, news & interview pod. Not reported in it, but heard this morning: Oilers have permission to talk to Craig Berube.
Today's guest is Henrik Sedin. Great answers to terrible questions.
If that is true, he will be traded away to a team that is attempting to sign him before he officially becomes a free agent. That relieves the Blackhawks of another veteran who is one of the best penalty killers and a solid, even-strength two-way player. That's tough to lose.
If it is so certain that they have to let him go, they must replace him. If they don't, they will go from having a top-two penalty kill to being outside of the top ten.
That player who directly replaces Mikheyev may or may not already be within the organization. Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene are guys who have similar profiles, but the team must be sure that they are getting the equal production of Mikheyev from someone else if they are letting him go.
It makes sense that the Blackhawks are uninterested in giving him a long-term extension, and money has nothing to do with it, but a younger player must be ready to take on his role.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA, like most businesses, is people-based. Yes, having talented players is important, but plenty can hoop. What differentiates teams is their ability to maximize their rosters and bring out the best in their group.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick has shown an ability to do that.
He’s had back-to-back 50-win seasons, and that’s because he’s been able to navigate massive roster changes and get the best out of his players night in and night out. And even for players like Deandre Ayton, who are known for being inconsistent and having up and down moments, he’s been able to reach him and bring out his best more often than not.
Even during a down moment, after the Thunder eliminated the Lakers, Ayton praised Redick for how he navigated the season.
“He was really proud of the group, how much faith he had,” Ayton said in his exit interview. “This being his 17th season with an NBA team, he was just really proud of each one of us. That really gave me some burdens off my shoulders. He showed in the media that he had my back as well. He’s a really good coach and I was just really honored to be coached by him and his staff.”
Since we are not privy to the behind-the-scenes moments between players and coaches, we only know a sliver of the dynamic between Ayton and Redick. Still, we have seen signs of how Redick supported him.
When Ayton was signed to the Lakers, he praised his raw talent. During the season, Redick was rocking a t-shirt that featured Ayton’s face mixed with a lion, expressing his desire for him to be a lion on the court.
Overall, Ayton had a solid season. He remained the team’s starting center all year long and shot a career-best 67% from the field.
Acquiring Ayton was a bit of a risk, as this was his third team in four years, but overall it was far more good than bad. The credit goes primarily to Ayton, but Redick played his part as well. Thanks to their collaboration, they made this a positive experience, and if Ayton does come back next season, he will likely be welcomed with open arms.
It took some time, but the Eastern Conference Finals are finally here. Our NBA player prop projections are set for Game 1, as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, with the model uncovering several high-value betting spots.
By analyzing the data against current market lines, we’ve identified where the strongest edges exist.
If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, May 19.
Cavaliers vs Knicks computer picks for Game 1
Cavaliers
Knicks
Mitchell u26.5 points -112
Brunson o27.5 points -120
Harden o6.5 assists -112
Towns o11.5 rebounds +102
Mobley o8.5 rebounds +102
Anunoby o15.5 points -110
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Cavaliers Game 1 computer picks
Donovan Mitchell Under 26.5 points (-112)
Projection: 25.95 points
The Cleveland Cavaliers should face a slower pace in this matchup against the New York Knicks, who’ve played at the league’s slowest tempo over the last 25 games — making it tougher for Donovan Mitchell to dictate offensively.
It’s also a challenging spot for getting to the line, as opposing starting shooting guards have averaged just 1.9 free-throw attempts per game at Madison Square Garden over the last 10 — third-fewest in the league.
Coming off a Game 7 on Sunday, the quick turnaround combined with a well-rested Knicks squad puts Mitchell at a disadvantage to open the series.
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James Harden Over 6.5 assists (-112)
Projection: 6.57 assists
Mitchell won’t be the only star under pressure, James Harden should also feel the full force of New York’s defense in Game 1.
The Knicks understand how vital Harden is to Cleveland’s offense, and keying in on him could force more playmaking than scoring. He either cleared or came close to this assists line in five of seven games last series against Detroit, showing a strong tendency to facilitate when defenses tighten up.
If New York clamps down, expect Harden to lean into the distributor role and rack up the dimes.
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Evan Mobley Over 8.5 rebounds (+102)
Projection: 8.56 rebounds
Evan Mobley’s rebounds prop has been a steady moneymaker throughout the Cavaliers’ playoff run, and after a 12-board performance in Game 7 against the Pistons on Sunday, there’s little reason to expect a slowdown.
Cleveland has thrived on the glass on the road, ranking sixth in the league with 13.0 offensive rebounds per game over its last 10, with Mobley playing a major role in that dominance. Look for him to bring that same energy into the Big Apple.
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Knicks Game 1 computer picks
Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points (-120)
Projection: 27.92 points
Jalen Brunson has averaged 31.4 points per game over his last five home outings, which is 3.9 points higher than his season-long home average.
The Knicks could also benefit from their full week of rest, a boost that could further elevate Brunson’s production as New York looks to keep defending home court throughout its postseason run.
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Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds (+102)
Projection: 12.24 rebounds
The Knicks rank fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounding at home this season, and for Karl-Anthony Towns, the key to clearing this rebound line in Game 1 will be staying on the floor and avoiding foul trouble.
That was an issue at times during the series against Atlanta, but New York managed those minutes well in his absence. When Towns is active, though, he remains a strong presence on the glass — positioning him to do enough damage on the boards to push this prop Over tonight.
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OG Anunoby Over 15.5 points (-110)
Projection: 16.53 points
OG Anunoby has averaged 22.0 points per game over his last five outings, 4.8 points higher than his season-long mark, highlighting an uptick in offensive production.
New York’s quick work in the series against Atlanta also gave him valuable time to recover from the hamstring issue that forced him to miss the final two games. He’s expected to be available for Game 1 against Cleveland, and the Knicks are clearly more dangerous when he’s operating at full strength.
If the injury doesn’t limit him, Anunoby should slide right back into a key offensive role as New York looks to keep its attack rolling.
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How to watch Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
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Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) throws during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Emmet Sheehan gets the start on Tuesday for the Dodgers in the middle game of their series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, but what’s notable is that it’s the first start this season for Los Angeles on four days rest.
Sheehan allowed two runs in six innings with six strikeouts in his win last Thursday over San Francisco. He swapped rotation slots so Shohei Ohtani could start on Wednesday’s series finale, directly in front of an off day, reducing the number of games Ohtani might hit with next-day fatigue after a pitching start.
Pitching on four days rest was the norm for decades in baseball, but that’s waned a bit over time. Here’s a look at the Dodgers starts on four (or three) days rest over the last few five-year check-ins.
Dodgers starts on (3 or) 4 days rest
2006: 90 starts
2011: 70 starts
2016: 59 starts
2021: 61 starts
That’s a slow-ish decline, and even in some recent years when the Dodgers have looked for avenues to give extra rest whenever possible, through spot starts, bullpen games, the decline in starts on four days rest wasn’t precipitous, until 2024.
2022: 45 starts
2023: 40 starts
2024: 10 starts
2025: 9 starts
Last season, after excluding openers, relievers making spot starts, and some final-week shenanigans, the Dodgers had 150 real starts, and only nine of them were on four days rest. The rest were split essentially evenly, with 70 starts on five days rest and 71 starts with six days or longer. Through Monday, this year has 15 starts on five days rest and 32 starts on longer rest (Friday’s bullpen game in Anaheim is not included).
Roki Sasaki signed last year and is also on the same extra-rest plan, as is Ohtani, who returned to pitching last June. Ohtani as a two-way player means he doesn’t count against the roster limit of 13 pitchers, which makes it much easier to use a six-man starting rotation, because the team can still keep a full complement of eight relievers. Hence the decline in starts on four days rest. Tuesday is just the 30th such start for the Dodgers since the start of 2024, which is a quarter fewer than the 2023 season alone.
Tuesday is technically Sheehan’s third career start on four days rest, though his one-inning “start” last September 26 — the final weekend of the regular season, keeping him available for relief work as early as four days later in the wild card round — doesn’t really count. Sheehan also struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings with one run allowed on four days rest on September 21, 2023, but that was following a three-inning relief outing, not another start.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Orioles/Rays Over 7.5
Price: 50¢ (+100) at Polymarket
Yesterday’s series opener exploded for 22 runs, and the projections are calling for more offense today with a fair price on this Over sitting around -126. Kyle Bradish is coming off his best start of the season and threw 100 pitches, after averaging closer to 90 per outing beforehand — there could be some drop-off in quality after the heavier workload.
Griffin Jax is a reliever-turned-starter whose strikeout rate has fallen sharply, from 35% down to 18.2% this season. Both offenses should be able to contribute on a relatively low total, with THE BAT projecting 8.72 runs.
Jon Metler's expert pick: Braves moneyline
Price: 56¢ (-127) at Polymarket
We have two southpaws on the mound at loanDepot park this afternoon, and Martín Pérez and the Atlanta Braves have a much easier matchup with the lineup they’ll face than Braxton Garrett does.
Three of the first five hitters in the Marlins lineup bat from the left side, and the lineup features five left-handed hitters in total. This is a dream matchup for Pérez, as he can neutralize a lot of that power by working the outer half of the plate with his sinker-changeup combination, forcing those hitters to drive the ball the other way.
Garrett, meanwhile, isn’t nearly as fortunate. He struggled with his command and lasted only 1 1/3 innings in his first start of the season, and with Ronald Acuña Jr. expected back in the lineup, the Braves can throw several hitters at him who thrive against left-handed pitching, along with Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley. I price the Braves closer to 61-cent (-156) favorites in this spot.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Red Sox moneyline
Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket
The Boston Red Sox hold advantages across the board tonight in Kansas City. Ranger Suarez continues to pitch at an elite level, allowing zero earned runs in five of his last six starts, while carrying a stellar 1.96 ERA on the road.
The Royals are 2-10 against lefty starters this season, and the offense ranks 27th in OPS against southpaws over the last two weeks. Boston’s bullpen has also been dominant during that span, with an MLB-best 1.90 ERA. With a struggling Bailey Falter set to open for KC, scoring opportunities should come early and often for Boston.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Cavaliers
Knicks
